Christian myees



(Rollin 161.) G. MYERS.

- Gang Plow. Y

' No.235,890.- Patented Dec..28,18 80 \y iinesses; I v I lriv'enmr new a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN MYERS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

GANG-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 235,890, dated December 28, 1880.

Application filed October 2, 1880. (N0 model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN MYERS, of the city and county of San Francisco in the State of California, have made and invented a newand useful Improvement in Gang-Flows, which said invention is fully set forth and described in the following specification and the drawings accompanying and forming part of the same.

My invention relates to the classes of plows generally known as gang and sulky plows, which are supported on wheels and ridden by the operator.

It consists in a novel means for attaching and pivoting the draft-pole to the frame, and for operating it from the drivers seat on the plow, whereby the line of draft can be readily changed and adjusted to throw the plow to and from land, as required, while it is at work. It is designed more particularly for use in and application to the improved plow for which Letters Patent of the United States were issued to me on the 15th day of October, 1878; and it has for its objects to strengthen and stiffen the front of the plow-frame, to afford a simple means of attachment for the pole, and to enable the line of draft to be under perfect control from the seat and to be changed and adjusted at all times without the need of any exertion on the part of the operator.

In the accompanying drawings my improvement is shown as applied to a gang-plow havin g an independentadjusting device for changing the relative height of each side of the frame, to preserve its horizontal position under all conditions of work.

Figure 1 is a top view of the plow-frame, showing the position of the pole in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an elevation, in longitudinal section, through the line :0 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a detail view, showing the front of the frame and the pole-supporting plate. Fig. 4 is a detail view taken from the rear of the frame, and showing the manner of constructing and securing in place the land-brake, or device for shifting and holding the draft-pole in the required position.

A A are the plow beams, which, with the axle b, constitute the frame. The plows c c are fixed upon the curved ends of the beams, and the diagonal brace 61 at the rear supports the standard to which the drivers seat is secured. In connection and combination with these parts I apply my improvement in substantially the following manner: I provide a plate or bridge-piece, B, which I secure in place between the beams A, at the front, to join and brace together this part of the frame and to form a bolster or support to receive the draft-pole. The ends of this plate are turned up perpendicularly, and fit against the sides of the beams A, so as to allow screw-boltse e to pass through them and bind the whole together. In plows of the construction illustrated in the drawings these same bolts pass through and secure the flanges of the lever racks or segments ff, so that no other fastenings are required to fix the plate B in place, and the beams at this point are not weakened by drilling or punching for extra bolt-holes. Upon the surface of the plate B, I provide also a pintle for the draft-pole to turn on, the same consisting of the projecting thimble C, through'which is a hole to admit of athroughbolt, D, being passed through it and the pole. The under side of the pole has a socket or recess to receive this thimble, and when the bolt D is inserted in place the pole is securely held to the plate, but is free to swingupon the point C as a pivot, and with a small amount of friction. This construction enables the pole to swing readily to one side or the other, permits it to be easily fixed in and detached from the frame, and simplifies the construction of the frame. 7

To operate the pole, I connect the landbrake, in the usual manner, to the rear end;

but I employ a strong, simple, and efficient means for fixing this device to the plow-frame, by which the rear end of the pole is held rigidly in whatever position it may be adjusted. This consists in providing an L- shaped standard, G, having at its lower end a bent plate or flange, h, disposed at right angles to the horizontal bend of the standard, through which pass bolts i i, for securing it to one of the beams A in a position in rear of the seat. This standard is bolted against the inside of the beam, and the same bolts pass through and secure in place an upright bar, J, upon the end of which is the curved rack or segment 70, with notches or detents for holding the lever. The lower end of this bar is bent at an angle to fit against the outside of the beam A, and both this part and the stand-- ard G are readily formed from a single piece. In the upright part of the standard is placed the fulcrum l of the hand-lever M, the end of which is then in position to be readily managed from the drivers seat. These two parts (the standard G and the segment 70) meet together at the point a, where they are bolted to each other, so as to make one stiffen and brace the other. This construction is both simple and strong, and requires but the two bolts to secure the two parts G J to the plowframe. It is clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 of the drawings, where the connection of the lever M to the standard and of the end of the pole with the lever are also illustrated. The end of the lever has an eye, 0, to receive the end of the pole-iron p, and the two, thus connected together, serve to swing the pole and act to hold it in any required position to and from either side of the frame. This means of attachment permits the pole to work upon its support with such a small degree of friction that .the lever M can be readily and easily worked from the seat, and the plow can therefore be driven and operated by a boy.

I am aware that swinging draft-poles and a means applied to the rear end for operating them have been used in wheeled plows of different kinds; and I do not claim, broadly, any such means for adjusting the draft; but

What 1 do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is t 1. In combination with the side bars or beams, A A, of a plow-frame, the plate B, having turned-up ends or flanges for securing the beams to it, and having the thimble O, to receive the pin or bolt of the draft-pole, substantially as herein described, to operate as set forth. 7

2. The -shaped standard Gr, having the fulcrum for the lever M, and the upright bar J. having the segment it, both united together, substantially as described, and secured to the side bar or beam, A, of a gang-plow, substantiall y as described, for the purposes set forth.

Witness my hand.

CHRISTIAN MYERS.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, WM. F. CLARK. 

